Steering mechanism for automobiles.



C. LAGERGREN. STEERING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1913- Patentea June 15, 1915.

cant. Laesnennn,

U33 @QTERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEEETQNG MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

mums-m mesa-lo.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t at l, (CARL increases. a citizen of the United. titates residing at Os terville,' in. the county of Barnstahle and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steering echanism for Automobiles, ofwhich the following is a specification,

This invention relates to nism for automobiles and vehicles in eral, the main object of the intention l to so mount the steering wheels with tion to the axle that the axis of the joint be:

steering mechaentween each steering wheel and the axle will be located in advance of a vertical line pass ing through the center of the wheel.

A. further object of the invention is to so mount each steering wheel on the axle as to locate the axis of steering movement of said wheel in advance of a vertical line passing through the center of the wheel and also at an inclination with respect to said vertical line, whereby the steering wheel always has a tendency to straighten itself into longitudinal alinement with the machine, or in other words to line up with a straight ahead course after being deflected to one side or the other. This greatly relieves the operator at the steering wheel and matcriallyincreases the safety of the steering apparatus as a whole and is particularly valuable in case of any derangement of any of the steering connections, as the wheels will individually and independently resume a straightaway course and path even though the equalizing or. connecting rod should hreah or become detached from the steering arm of either of the steering wheels.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

7 In the accompanying drawings :-l*-igure' 1 18 a vertical sccti on through the hub of a steering wheel and axle taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an inclined section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one end of the axle illustrating the inclination of the opening for the inclined pivot or journal of the steering wheel. Fig. ,4 is a vertical section on the linedi of Fig. 3.

The axle which carries the steering wheels of an automobile or similar vehicle is indicated at 1 and by reference to Figs. 1, 3 and specification or Letters Patent.

- Application filed na 17, 19s.

' said plug into the upper face of the axle 1.

Patented June 15, 1915. Serial 1%. 768,331.

e it will be noted that the extremity of the axle is formed with an opening 2 to receive the pivot pin or journal 3 which adapts the steering wheel to be turned laterally in the act of steering the machine. Furthermore it will be noted in said figures that the opening 3 is inclined with respect to a vertical line and this inclination of the opening 3 may he obtained either by giving a partia ti tthe extremity of the axle as indicat. in Figs. 3 and 1 or. by primarily formthe axle illustrated.

ing -1 is further provi led with the arms or extensions 5 and i to enable the customary steering and equalizing connections to be attached thereto.

'lhe pivot 3 is of a length greater than the diameter oi the extremity of the axle 1 and projects at both ends beyond the ends of the opening the lower end of said-pivot being threaded as shown at 7 into a socket in the lower portion of the wheel bearing /l. The upper portion of said bearing is provided with an internally threaded socket or opening 8 into which is screwed cup shaped plug 9 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,

being provided at its inner en with a cone face 10 which bears against the corresponding face of a cone bearing 11 set said plug 9 being held in its adjusted position by means of a locking screw 12 which is thrcz (L ed into a socket in theumier extremity oi the pivot 23, said screw 12 being provided with a tapered head 1% and the plug 9 being formed with a correspondingly tapered internal Face 15 against which the head l-l bears.

The lower portion oi the wheel bearing -'lis provider with an annular recess aroum the pivot 3 to rcceirc a bearing cup 16 in which is arranged an annular series of antii'riction balls 17 which sustain the load i1nposed by ing a ball-race which is let into a recess 19 in the bottomot the axle 1 and which rests directly upon the balls 17. By turning the plug 9 inwardly, wear may be taken up between the axle and the wheel bearing an when the desired adjustment has been obtained, the position of the threaded plug 9 the axle on the wheel, 18 designat-v may be fixed by means of the locking screw 12.

20 designates the hub of the Wheel p vided with a fixed spoke flange 21 and a detachable spoke flange 22 having an inclined annular extension 23 which bears .against a place by a washer 32 and a nut 33.

l designates a cap which is threaded upon the end of the hub as shown at 35.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the axis of the Wheel but the said inclined axis is also located in advance of a line passing through the vertical center of the wheel, the said axis of steering movement of the wheel being represented at 2-2 in Fig.- 1, while the vertical line passing through the center of the wheel is indicated at 'aa.

weight imposed on the wheel by the axle is transmitted through the vertical line b-b of Fig. l and it will be noted that the line of protraction of the axis of the joint be tween the wheel and its akle is located in advance of the joint where the wheel supports the load. Therefore, there is a constant tendency for the wheel to assume a straight-away position and each of the steering wheels has this inherent tendency. 'lherefore, should the equalizing or connecting rod between thesteering wheel bearings away course. Furthermore, when the wheels are turned to steer the machine the other, said wheels will toward the inner side of the curve being described by the machine. This greatly relieves the strain on the hubs of the wheels upon the wheel bearing 4 at 28;

is located in the line of v In testnnonywhereof I and the tendency to push the hubs out of the Wheels, as the thrust produced by a sharp turn of the machine is transmitted more nearly in the direction of length of the away positions and until they are again deflected one side or the other by the operator. The referred to is produced by reason of the location of the axis of steering movement of the wheels in advance of the vertical centers of the wheels and also by reason of the inclination of the axis of ment of the wheels. Furthermore, it will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the pivot 3 or turned to ehng, thereby adding to the steering Wheel may operator.

of the class specified, an axle formed with a pivot pin hole extending transversely therethrough at an angle to a vertical line, a steering Wheel, a bearing for said wheel having sockets'of different diameters above and beneath the pin hole, the longitudinal axes of said hole and sockets being in a line located inadtransverse center of the threaded" axle and in line with said pivot steering movevance of and at an. inclination to a vertical ine passing through the center of the wheel,

a pivot pin passing through said hole in the axle and having its lower end threaded into socket of said bearing, a. on

shaped plug screwed into the upper socket of said bearing and embracing tremity of said screw inserted through said plug into said pivot p afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL LAGERGREN. Witnesses: I .E. EDMONSTON, Jr., E. HUME'DEAN. 

